KUCHING: Since 2015, there have been 429 cases of copper theft targeted at Sarawak Energy’s electrical facilities. The company has incurred more than RM 5.2 million to replace stolen and damaged equipment in the last two years.
SEB is concerned over the rampant incidents of copper theft especially in the Northern Region targeting its facilities, causing not only supply interruptions to customers, but also affecting the street lights and telecommunication services.
According to SEB’s Vice President for Distribution, Siti Aisah Adenan, thieves are getting more daring, vandalising electrical equipment in broad daylight especially at secluded areas.
“Recent cases show that copper thefts involving electrical transformers are on the rise where they ransacked the equipment for the transformer’s core, copper conductors and underground cable,” she said.
In Bintulu alone, she said for the past two months, there were 13 cases of vandalised transformers along the Bintulu-Miri coastal road, Bakun Road and also in Sebauh as well as Tatau areas which incurred a cost of RM390,000 to replace the damaged equipment.
Siti Aisah said similar trend is also happening in Miri with the latest incident along Lutong-Kuala Baram Road affecting two pole-mounted transformers. The transformers vandalised were supplying for customers within the Kuala Baram area and the street lights along Kuala Baram road to the Asean Bridge.
“This irresponsible act has compromised the safety of road users as the stretch of about 8km street lighting columns along the road leading to Kuala Baram are without light at night.
“Another incident targeting electrical transformers occurred a day before Gawai, causing supply interruption to Batu Niah and Bekenu. The two recent incidents in Miri happened within a week and is estimated to have incurred a cost of RM120,000 to replace the equipment and repair the damages.
“Sarawak Energy has increased its patrols and foiled two attempts in Bintulu and two more in Miri. Our regional teams are also working closely with the police to curb this dangerous crime.
“Public safety is SEB’s utmost priority. In the recent incidents, the thieves’ modus operandi are using vehicles to pull down the pole mounted transformers before dismantling the core and copper inside the equipment. This is not only endangering their safety, but also the safety of road users,” she said.
While efforts have been stepped up in terms of security and monitoring, SEB continues to seek the cooperation of members of the public to report incidents of copper theft or suspicious activities around its facilities.
Concerned citizens may contact Sesco via the Sarawak Energy Customer Care Centre at 1-300-88-3111. Reports can also be logged into Sarawak Energy’s ‘SEB Cares’ Mobile App, available for download at Apple’s App Store for iOS and Google’s Play.
